THE NEWSPAPER OF AVONDALE, BUCKEYE, GOODYEAR, LITCHFIELD PARK & TOLLESON
Exhibit shares AfricanAmerican art PAGE
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westvalleyview.com
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This Week
NEWS ........... 10 Food bank needs help funding delivery vehicles
SPORTS ........ 18 Olympian Jill Watson brings skating skills to the West Valley
9 DAYS ......... 21 Looking for something to do? Check out the 9 Days a Week calendar
LETTERS ........................13 BUSINESS..................... 15 SPORTS ..........................17 FEATURES .....................22 YOUTH ...........................25 CLASSIFIEDS................26 OBITUARIES .................28 WEST
Meals of Joy holding fundraiser The Voice of the West Valley for 33 years
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January 30, 2019
Assault sentence frustrates victim By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
A Yuma family is fuming after a border patrol agent who now lives in Tonopah was sentenced to three years’ probation with no jail time for sexually assaulting their then-13-year-old daughter. The victim’s father spoke to the West Valley View on the condition of anonymity to mask his daughter’s identity. According to court records obtained by the West Valley View, Kyle Mrofka withdrew his “not guilty” plea and changed it to “no contest” to lower charges of unlawful sexual intercourse, which is a misdemeanor. The plea deal was reached in November and in exchange for it, two separate felony charges of committing a lewd act on a minor were dismissed. The 30-year-old, who was a border patrol agent for nine years, was sentenced January 18 in Imperial County Superior Court in El Centro, California, to three years’ formal probation. He was ordered to stay away from the victim for 10 years and take part in a sex offender program for at least a year. Mrofka does not have to register as a sex offender.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection southwest branch chief didn’t return emails about Mrofka, and his phone was busy. According to published reports, though, Mrofka works at a warehouse in Goodyear. According to the victim’s father, Mrofka was a family friend and they would often camp together, “everything family friends would do,” he said. The two met because the father worked with Mrofka’s uncle. When his uncle was diagnosed with cancer, the two families came together. “They adopted our family and we all became family friends,” the father said. Soon it turned dark. “He became a border patrol agent and he even used me as a reference,” he said. “Apparently he took advantage of my daughter when she was 13. He’d wait until everybody went to bed in the campsite, give her alcohol and take advantage of her.” This carried on for a while, as the girl was too frightened to tell her parents because Mrofka was a family friend. “He even went as far as to call me at work to ask me to help him work on his
Kyle Mrofka pleaded “no contest” to sexually assaulting a then-13-year-old Yuma girl. (Photo courtesy Imperial Superior Court)
vehicle,” he said. “He’d ask what time I’d be home and
Tonopah...continued on page 3
Reds, historian named citizens of the year By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Amateur historian Sally Kiko and Mike Saverino, the Cincinnati Reds’ Arizona operations manager, were named Goodyear’s Citizen and Corporate Citizen of the Year. “I was really surprised,” Kiko said. “I certainly didn’t expect it. There was a proclamation that said I am a dedicated
volunteer, and key historian for the city. I also coauthored the Arcadia Book Goodyear and I decided my retirement to Three Rivers Historical Society. I was president for a couple years, and secretary for many.” For Mayor Georgia Lord, it was a logical decision.
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“Sally Kiko is a true historian for our community and we appreciate her involvement in keeping the memories of what was once the small town of Goodyear,” Lord said. “She wholeheartedly represents the city with pride and has dedicated her retired years to
Citizens...continued on page 2
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